A camera obscura.
A coming fellow from Amsterdam.
A connoisseur in everything, Master Van Ruijven.
A good meal on your table.
A group painting.
A merry company.
A month or more.
A month or so.
A new masterpiece from the hand of my son in law
A nice greeting, when I brought the meat order just for you.
A picture made of light.
A tavern scene. It will make a change for you.
About the studio, mistress.
Again.
Again.
Ah, there you are, my dear.
Ah, you girl, Griet.
All dressed up like a lady.
All I'm saying is, I can't cook twice as much and have no sleep at all.
All that grinding and stirring, eh?
All these girls.
All this skill lavished on my dear Emilie.
Always sneaking around. Shirking her work.
Am I a child?!
An he won't be taken for one, so don't think otherwise.
An ox tongue and a dozen chops.
An you grind it with a muller, like this.
And do not slack or it will be the worst for you.
And don't they look marvelous?
And Griet can clean the studio before she comes down in the morning.
And have you considered the subject for your next commission?
And he will bear no more delay.
And if I'm to spend tedious hours sitting
And the wine winkling through the glass.
And when it's dry...
And you can practice together now that we've made our bargain. Eh, Jan?
Another three before he's satisfied, no doubt.
Are you up there?
Are you well? Yeah.
Art.
As if there weren't enough mouths to feed already.
Aye, she gets that from me.
Beams of reflected light from that corner pass through it...
Because you don't understand!
Before Master Van Ruijven brought her over to be painted.
Better carry it through.
Brothers and sisters...
Brown.
But also to rejoice at another birth,
But he's working again.
But I would never give in to Master Van Ruijven.
But you said yourself it's very dull.
But you should be faithful to one mistress above all others...
Buy fish and meat...
By all the saints, if you would stop screaming for a moment, I can explain.
By the window.
Calm, my dear.
Can I have her?
Can you imagine yourself in such finery, Griet?
Cannot?
Chops...
Cock and bull story.
Color and perspective is true, the illusion... is perfect.
Come here.
Come on now, my little one. I've got a lovely apple for you.
Come on, keep up.
Come on.
Come on.
Come.
Considered? It's already in hand. Didn't I tell you?
Cornelia!
Cornelia.
Creeping upstairs all day long.
Did you get the lapis?
Distilled from the urine of sacred cows
Disturb nothing.
Do it now.
Do you know the house of Master Vermeer?
Do you know what it is?
Do you move him? Do you inspire him?
Do you remember?
Do you think it finished?
Does no one speak the truth to me in my own house?
Does the box show you what to paint?
Don't fight.
Don't get caught up in his world.
Don't rush away, Griet, please.
Don't speak till you're spoken to.
Drop it.
Father, mother, this is Pieter,
Fed only on mango leaves.
Find a way.
Fit in all your work
Food may be strange to your stomach.
For heaven's sake,
Friends and neighbors,
From the cupboard.
Get back to work.
Get out of my house!
Get the parcel on the cart.
Girls, come inside.
Go in.
Go in.
Good morning, madam.
Good morning. So Griet...
Good to see you.
Good, that's good!
Good.
Good.
Good.
Got her into that fine red dress.
Got it. I win again.
Got you, got you, got you!
Green as grass, mind you.
Griet could come and serve me.
Griet has your place.
Griet is the hardest to please of all our customers.
Griet, there's been talk of you.
Griet, you go on with Pieter there.
Griet!
Griet!
Griet!
Griet?
Griet.
Griet.
Griet.
Gum arabic.
Hail Mary, Mother of God,
Has he found his composition?
Have you ever notice how he never bothers with old women?
Have you found inspiration up in that room of yours?
Haven't you finished yet?
He made a bargain with me. He's painting you at my pleasure.
He makes only one painting at a time.
He started a new painting.
He thinks we don't know how to celebrate a birth, does he?
He will lose him.
He won't even let me see it.
He won't look at you again.
He's no fool, mind you.
He's painted me.
Help me.
Here I am.
Here. Put this on.
Honored guest.
How could you?
How could you?
How did it get in there?
How hard is it to paint a pretty girl?
How much longer is the wet nurse to be with us, mistress?
I am only a maid,
I am too stupid to look at a painting now?
I cannot, I have work.
I cannot.
I don't know.
I don't want to hear any more of your lies, Mother.
I glaze over it with blue, but...
I have a right to know.
I hear you've been of great use to your master, pretty Griet.
I heard.
I need more rags, girl.
I need to see your face.
I never thought our family would come to this.
I saw the painting.
I shall invite Master Van Ruijven.
I tell you, if I was a few years younger...
I think she ought to be in the painting.
I want some colors.
I want something I can rest my eyes on.
I want to see this painting.
I want you to get something for me, too.
I wasn't talking about Van Ruijven.
I will not be calm!
I will not.
I will see for myself. No one will stop me.
I won't tell you again.
I won't turn out for small beer and biscuits, tell her.
I...
I'll be in my studio until dinner.
I'll put it in the book, then. Owed by Griet...
I'll see you later.
I'll send someone.
I'll take that.
I'm to paint you alone.
I'm to show you round.
I've come to the right place, then.
I've got you!
I've not yet found a subject.
I've seen you paint with no one there.
If he crosses Van Ruijven over this...
If I could just go back to the cellar...
If your children starve and your wife is dressed in rags.
In cooking kitchen you're to help serve and clear,
In the act.
In the book again?
Into the box... so that we can see it here.
Is it real?
Is it true she wore my pearls?
Is that so?
Is there another patron in Delft with pockets as deep as mine?
Is this Indian yellow?
It gives the tone...
It helps.
It may change the light.
It usually takes him longer.
It was the right color.
It will be done soon.
It's a tune we all know.
It's all the same to you,
It's almost as if... she were thinking.
It's an image.
It's clean enough this side of town.
It's dirty now.
It's just a commission. Gone in a few days. You need never see it.
It's just...
It's like this.
It's obscene.
It's the old woman's idea to combine the birth feast and the viewing.
It's to hang in his private cabinet.
Jan?
Jan? My necklace.
Johannes must have a new commission.
Johannes Vermeer.
Johannes, that's it.
Join me and Paul in the meat market.
Just remember who you are.
Just...
Keep clear of their Catholic prayers.
Lace and satin pressed tight against the plump little bubbies.
Laughing at me in my own house.
Lead white.
Leave it alone. I'll find it. Please, sir.
Leave that.
Leave the house.
Less.
Let us lift up our hearts and voices together
Linseed oil.
Liver?
Long?
Look at her, man.
Look at him, he's your little brother.
Look at me.
Look at me.
Look at that dress.
Look into the glass.
Look, Griet.
Look, Griet.
Lost everything.
Make time.
Make way now.
Malachite.
Marry me.
Marvelous.
Master and maid.
Master Van Ruijven wants his paintings...
Master, I did not do it.
Me and the brat deserve a proper feast.
Men.
Mistress Thins.
Mistress wants eggs.
Mix the colors?
More lies?!
More rags.
My daughter is out for the day.
My daughter is right, there has been too much sneaking about.
My daughter must not hear of this other painting in her condition.
My God, she was happy.
My husband does...
My jewels.
My mother will expect me home.
My mother will not be content till one of them dies from her meanness.
My wife need not know.
Neither.
Next month, next year?
No more hiding now.
No need to go to the fish market tomorrow.
No point?!
No smoke without fire, they say.
No stinting, eh?
No, Cornelia, not my pearls.
No, Jan, don't you dare leave.
No, Jan.
No, no, stop it, stop it. My God, woman, you could sell sour milk to cows.
No, we are drawing.
No, you're cheating.
No!
No! Get out of here!
No! No!
No.
No. I already... already begun a group painting.
No...
No... not white.
Not even a smile for my pains?
Not now!
Not only are we gathered tonight
Not today.
Nothing is the right color.
Nothing is too good for this family?
Now hold still. I want to look at you.
Now lick your lips.
Now turn your head, not your shoulders.
Now you understand.
Now you're it.
Now, girl...
Nurse!
Nurse! Come on! Quickly.
Of course.
Oh yes, soon. But when is soon?
Oh, do we have to play this?
Oh, Jan, isn't he just like you?
Oh, not with Emilie
On the master's account.
On their own.
One of my tortoiseshell combs is gone.
One smile.
One year it got so bad, they had to sell some of their jewels.
Only the young pretty ones.
Open it in the morning.
Open the shutters, you can't work in the dark.
Open up, there's a lady coming in.
Open your mouth.
Open your mouth.
Or if you must be with them when they pray...
Or...
Our butcher's son... the family's butcher.
Our honored guest, Master Van Ruijven...
Our own life, Griet... answering to no one.
Papa?
Paul.
Perhaps that will be my epitaph.
Pictures, for money. They mean nothing.
Pieter.
Pieter...
Please let me see your hair.
Please. Let me look for you.
Point of light in the shadow of the neck leading the eye.
Poured wine down her like he was forcing a goose.
Praise be to God, of little Franciscus,
Pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death.
Pray tell us what you think.
Push, push!
Push!
Put a mattress in the attic for Griet.
Ripe as a plum... still unplucked.
Sand and soap.
Scour the pots and pans.
See for yourself.
See this?
Shadow in the light.
She can't read! You know that?
She cannot abide the smell when she's with child.
She had only worked there a few months
She hates money troubles.
She is a tight fist.
She knows where you are, Griet.
She looked trapped.
She loved it, you know.
She must eat for the baby.
She should at her age.
She smashed half the china...
She thought she was somebody.
She was carrying his by blow before the painting was dry.
She...
She'll find out.
She's dishonest.
She's not set so much as a foot in his studio from that day to this.
She's nothing but trouble.
Shocking. She should know better.
Should I clean the windows?
Show me this painting.
Sir, I haven't time.
Sir, mistress, I'm glad to meet you.
Sir?
Sir.
Sit down. You'll exhaust yourself.
Six babies. Why does she have to make such a racket?
So soon?
So, finished at last.
So, Griet...
So, have you decided what to daub next, Jan?
So, the butcher... that's a good trade.
So.
So...
Soda... coppers, boiler...
Stay as you were.
Stay.
Still...
Stop it!
Stop it. Oh, look Cornelia.
Stop your ears.
Straight or curly?
Studied under Rembrandt van Rijn,
Take off your cap.
Take this to the house of your master's patron, Pieter van Ruijven.
Take water from the canal for laundry.
Tanneke can sleep soundly...
Tanneke has complained of it.
Tanneke showed you what needs to be done? The laundry and so on?
Tanneke?
Tell her to be quiet, then.
Tell me how you get on up there.
Tell me, girl...
Tell me, has the master's brush unlocked the secrets of your heart?
Tell Tanneke the new maid is here.
Thank you, sir.
That dress can't have stayed on long.
That...
That's better.
That's it.
That's your sleeping place.
The boys will soon be swarming around like flies.
The cap covers too much.
The child needs a draught.
The composition, it's not balanced.
The front of your cap, fold it back.
The gentlemen watching.
The last time you said it was done you kept it another six months!
The maid kept me talking with some...
The mistress won't like it.
The picture, several figures.
The shame.
The silk, heavy on her thighs.
Then what?
There are colors in the clouds.
There is nothing to see. You're making yourself ridiculous.
There now, I forgot.
There you are.
There you are. Fetch some water.
There, that's it.
There.
There. Are you satisfied, Tanneke?
There's no buyer.
There's no point.
There's some cloth in the storeroom.
They are just paintings.
They've lived next door for as long as I can remember.
Thinking about your butcher boy?
Thinly, so that the black shows through.
This has to be, Griet.
This is called "a lens."
This is for you.
This is good.
This is Griet, the new maid.
This is only a trial. Nothing is settled yet.
This is too thin.
This meat's not fresh.
This will make verdigris.
This... is ruby shellac.
Though, who hasn't these days?
Three guilders... thank you.
Three months.
To celebrate the safe delivery into this world,
To give Him thanks and praise for our safe passage...
To the left.
Twist from the shoulder.
Van Ruijven's cook says you're to be painted with her master.
Vermilion.
Very good. Keep it level all the time.
Wash them.
Water for the table.
We all are.
We both did.
We cannot expect you to give up Emilie for so long again.
We must speak with Willem Jansson.
We need the extra help.
We'll see you again, Griet.
Wear these.
Welcome to the house of the Lord God.
Welcome, Master Van Ruijven.
Well get along, girl.
Well, he's a temper on him too for all he's so quiet.
Well, she's eating us out of house and home for a start.
Well...
Went to spoil one of his precious paintings.
What a great fool he is.
What are you doing?
What can you do, eh?
What color are they?
What color is it?
What did you see?
What do they call you?
What takes your fancy?
What were you doing today? I missed you.
What's going on? What are you doing?
What's it to you?
What's to be done?
When he's alone with some young beauty.
When I have been so clever as to track you down?
When I saw you with Tanneke I thought you were a little Catholic girl.
When you sit up there and suck at your paintbrush...
When young mistress don't want to.
Where is that smile you owe me,
White?
Why are you here?
Why can't I look?
Why did you move the chair?
Why don't you paint me?
Why not move Tanneke back?
Why?
Why...
Wine skin.
Wine...
With your exquisite taste,
Yellow.
Yes I can.
Yes, madam.
Yes, mistress.
Yes?
Yes.
You always have my jewels up there to paint.
You can almost stroke the satin.
You can go.
You can mix the colors.
You could imagine how that pleased her.
You didn't get me. I got you.
You do it.
You don't need to ask me about such matters.
You had nothing better to do.
You have a very wide eyes.
You know, I've a mind to go up there one day and surprise him
You lock up at night,
You looked inside me.
You show me.
You took your time. Lose your way, did you?
You try.
You want me to imagine how the earring would look?
You watched me paint it.
You will need...
You won't forget, will you?
You'll get used to it.
You'll have heard about him and the maid that was painted before?
You'll have to wait then.
You'll lose your place.
You'll make yourself ill.
You'll take your meals with me and the children.
You're a fly in his web.
You're being ridiculous. I'm going out.
You're looking at it?
You're not paid to stand gawping all day.
You're not the first to forget your manners in front of his paintings.
You're not to sit with Master Van Ruijven, that much is agreed.
You're only a maid, what can you do?
You're scaring the children.
You're to clean in there.
You've glazed my wife in dried piss.
You've heard?
You've to admit, my friend, French swords are the best.
Young mistress and master sleep and have company here.
Young mistress is out this morning.
Your friends all about. Music.
Your lovely daughter too.
Your master is a fine painter, Griet.
Your name will surely be famed as one of the great patrons.
Your subtle understanding of allegory and allusion...
Yourself and Emilie.
And dancing. It's better. Better, better.
Do not ask this of me. It's needed.
Father? Don't!
Give it back. Stop it!
Griet? Father.
Griet. Griet?
Griet. Sir?
I must get back. Don't walk away. Listen to me.
I must get back. I'll fetch your things,
I'm so sorry, sir. No, don't worry about the robe.
I'm sorry, sir. Shh...
If I thought she'd be... With another child due
Is that what you think? No.
No way. It's mine.
No! I've waited long enough.
No. I'll catch it.
Nurse. I'm coming.
Very long? No.
Well, I do. No you don't.
What is it? Bankrupt.
What should I...? No.
Why? Come on. Don't make a fuss.
You shouldn't believe gossip. Oh, I don't.
"A Merry Company by Candlelight," candlelight being his forte.